Texas is unique in that it has energy providers that actually offer pay as you go electricity to consumers. Using that model, you can quite literally decide how much you want to pay and provide that amount to energy companies who will service you until you have used up all that you have put down. It’s one way to actively keep your electricity bill lower. If you want anymore information about it, this page provides some of the details: Pay As You Go Electricity | Best Electricity Rates.
On the other hand, month-to-month variable rate (no-contract) plans don’t have cancellation fees. You won’t be penalized if you find a better deal elsewhere and want to make another switch. And, you won’t be stuck paying more than you should be if the market rate for electricity trends down. But, if it goes up, you’ll be paying more than your in-contract neighbors, and you’ll likely want to shop around again for a better deal.
In Texas, the average household uses an average of 77 million Btu of electricity per year, which is approximately 14% less than the national average. Breaking these stats down even further shows us that electricity use in the average Texan home is 26% higher than the rest of the United States, however this isn’t much higher than several other states that are closest to Texas. When it comes to cost, the average total household bill per year is $1,801. This amount ranks amongst the highest across America, but other states that typically see soaring temperatures in the summer season aren’t far behind.
Minimum Usage Fees: Often set at or around 1,000 kWh/month, these fees mean you’ll always pay for at least that amount — even if you only use, say, 800 kWh of electricity some months. It sounds nasty, but it’s only something to be concerned about if your electricity bills historically show you hover right around that minimum use threshold. If you’re electricity use always exceeds that amount, it’s like it’s not even there.
The average prices shown in these calculations represent average annual prices per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Some Compare Electricity Rates charge rates that vary by season or usage level. As a result, the actual average price listed on a customer's bill for any given month may differ from that listed here, depending on the usage of the customer and the actual rates charged during that month. Please see the Gas And Electric Bill's Terms of Service document for the actual rates that will be charged by the Gas And Electric Bill.
Compare Electricity Companies is the destination website for Texas residents and business owners to share their opinions and have a voice in the Texas Deregulated Energy Market. We offer daily updated information about electricity rates in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, and hundreds of other cities in Texas. Electricity Ratings, Cheapest Electricity Rates helps people make informed buying decisions through its consumer reviews platform and is a reliable source for valuable consumer insight, advice, in-depth energy company service evaluations, and personalized recommendations. Since 2009, we've helped over 1.5 million shoppers find the best energy providers and rates. Electricity Ratings, Cheapest Electricity Rates operates similar consumer energy shopping websites in Georgia, Ohio, Illinois, Connecticut, and New York.
According to a 2014 report[2] by the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power (TCAP), "deregulation cost Texans about $22 billion from 2002 to 2012. And residents in the deregulated market pay prices that are considerably higher than those who live in parts of the state that are still regulated. For example, TCAP found that the average consumer living in one of the areas that opted out of deregulation, such as Austin and San Antonio, paid $288 less in 2012 than consumers in the deregulated areas."
For example, shoppers for Texas electricity plans in the 77494 ZIP code in Katy, TX, could find 12-month plans for 6.8 cents/kWh in February; by June, electricity rates had increased 27 percent to 9.3 cents/kWh. As of early September, 12-month plans were up again, to 9.9 cents/kWh – a 6.5 percent hike from June and a 46 percent increase just since February.